Atlanta Family Therapist: Family Therapy for Kids, Parents and the Whole Family

Families shape us, and families keep us stuck. I help families get unstuck.

A psychologist who is also a family therapist

When I went to graduate school last century, only a couple of PhD programs in Clinical Psychology had a Family Therapy specialty. It is still unusual to find someone who is both a Clinical Psychologist and a Family Therapist. I have been working with families in Atlanta since 1983, and my family therapy skills are sharp. Like a knife. A well-honed one. You're getting this metaphor, aren't you?

I am a licensed psychologist in Georgia and a Clinical Fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). What that means for you: I think about the whole family, even when only one person is sitting in my office.

Kids get better when the family changes

I see children as young as four, but I don't see kids alone. It's not OK to have parents in the waiting room while I "cure" their child. Parents need to be in the room with us, helping solve the problem and changing their part in it. If a child improves but home stays the same, the progress usually doesn't last.

I don't do much play therapy. I think the No. 1 problem with kids today is that parents are reluctant to be fully in charge. I've seen plenty of families where the children are running the house when therapy begins. That soon changes.

What families come to me for

Kids who won't listen, won't go to school or won't stop fighting. Parents who disagree about how to parent. Blended families and stepparents. A family that has gone quiet after a loss or a crisis. Grown children and parents who have stopped speaking. A loved one drinking or using, and everyone else walking on eggshells.

Working with whole families means thinking differently. I know how generational patterns repeat, and I know how hard it is to change the way people talk to each other at home. But when a family's emotions shift, each person blossoms.

What the first session is like

Bring whoever lives in the house, or at least whoever is involved in the problem. If someone refuses to come, come anyway; we'll start with who shows up.

In the first session I want to hear how each person sees the problem, what you've already tried, and what you want to be different. By the end you'll have a plan and something to do differently at home that week.

Get in touch

Common questions

Do you see children by themselves?

Rarely. Children improve fastest when their parents are part of the work, so most sessions include at least one parent. Sometimes I meet with the parents alone first.

How long does family therapy take?

Most families come for a few months, not years. My goal is for you to stop needing therapy. Plenty of families come back for a tune-up when life throws something new at them.

Do you take insurance?

I'm not on any insurance plans. I give you receipts you can submit for out-of-network reimbursement, and many plans pay part of family therapy. The About page has a list of questions to ask your insurance company.

Where is your office?

Sandy Springs, at 6065 Lake Forrest Drive, Suite 250, Atlanta, GA 30328. Families come from all over metro Atlanta. I see people in person.